Oil prices extended their rally on Friday as geopolitical tensions around Strait of Hormuz remained unresolved, with both Iran and the United States showing no signs of de-escalation.
Oil prices rose on Thursday after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was stopped following what it said was an Israeli ceasefire violation in Lebanon.
Goldman Sachs has lowered its second-quarter 2026 oil price forecasts to $90 for Brent and $87 a barrel for US WTI, down from previous forecasts of $99 and $91.
Oil prices continued to climb on Thursday with no sign of easing, as markets priced in a prolonged supply squeeze from the Middle East following stalled negotiations and firm signals from Donald Trump that the blockade on Iran will remain in place.
Oil prices jumped more than 5 per cent on Monday (April 20), on fears that the ceasefire between the US and Iran could collapse after the US seized an Iranian cargo ship, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz stayed largely halted.
Oil prices extended their decline on Wednesday, as cautious optimism over a possible resumption of US-Iran talks eased immediate supply fears, even as underlying risks from the ongoing conflict continued to cap losses.
Oil prices surged nearly 30% to more than $119 a barrel on Monday, hitting levels not seen since mid-2022, as some major producers cut supplies and fears of prolonged shipping disruptions gripped the market due to the expanding US-Israeli war with Iran.
Japan's industry ministry has asked domestic wholesalers to switch to Brent crude oil pricing from the Dubai benchmark when setting gasoline prices, in an attempt to contain price increases, according to a document seen by Reuters.
Oil prices extended gains on March 30, with Brent headed for a record monthly rise, after Yemeni Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel over the weekend, widening the US-Israel war with Iran in the Middle East.
Brent crude jumped 10% to about $80 a barrel over the counter on Sunday, oil traders said, while analysts predicted that prices could climb as high as $100 after US and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the Middle East into a new war, reported Reuters, citing senior analysts.
